SROC Constitution

Name

The name of the organisation is the Student Records Officers’ Conference (SROC)

History and Context

SROC is a not-for profit organisation, and was formed in 1986, under the aegis of the then Conference of University Administrators (now AUA), and held its first meeting at the University of Exeter; it became an independent organisation in 1991, reporting to the then Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals (now UUK).

Since 2003, SROC has operated as one of the practitioner groups of the Academic Registrars’ Council, while retaining independent organisation and structures. The SROC Chair sits as part of the Executive Committee of the ARC. .

Purpose

The purpose of SROC is to provide a forum for professionals working in the field of student data and records for:

Promotion and sharing of best practice

Networking with colleagues across the sector in similar roles

Discussion of and contributing to national initiatives, policy and procedures within the field of student data

Developing and maintaining links with international colleagues and partners

SROC represents Student Records Officers and the community of student data owners in UK Higher Education. It seeks to represent the views and best interests of this population through the consultative and advisory groups in which it is involved. It does not have a fixed constituency or membership determined by subscription. All practitioners in the fields of interest and influence of SROC are welcome to attend a SROC event.

SROC is linked to the Academic Registrars’ Council (ARC). It works closely with HESA to disseminate information to, and to focus feedback from, the HE community working with the HESA student-related data streams.

It also has links with the Southern Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers (SACRAO) in America and with the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO).

Management of SROC

SROC is managed by its Committee, who will be representatives of a UK based Higher Education Provider.

The main aim of the Committee is to organise and run an annual conference of Student Records’ Officers from Higher Education Providers around the United Kingdom.

It shall also have discretion to organise seminars and workshops regarding particular relevant topics on an ad hoc basis throughout the period between the annual conferences

Committee

The Committee’s membership will be as follows:

Substantive/Standalone Roles (one person per role):

Chair

Deputy Chair (which may be incorporated with the Treasurer role)

Secretary

Treasurer

Corporate Liaison Officer

Breakout Session Co-ordinator

Web Co-ordinator

Social Media Co-ordinator

Networking Events Co-ordinator

Local Organiser for the forthcoming conference (tenure 1 year)

Local Organiser for the most recent conference (tenure 1 year)

Whenever feasible within the Committee membership, the following roles will have a second member acting as a deputy to provide support and resilience: Secretary, Treasurer, Corporate Liaison Officer, Breakout Session Co-ordinator, and Web Co-ordinator.

Additional Roles

There are a number of areas where the Committee is increasing its activity and profile, which have created the need for a number of new roles in recent years. It is recognised that these roles may grow, increase in number and become standalone roles as above. These may be undertaken on an individual/shared basis, or alongside a substantive role, if necessary. Currently these are:

Liaison with partner organisations overseas

In addition, there will be co-opted members who will take responsibility for various aspects of the Committee’s work or for particular or one-off projects as necessary. There should be representation from HEPs, ideally from all countries within the United Kingdom, and from a wide range of HEPs, both in terms of size and age. There will normally be between 12 and 15 members of the Committee, depending on the number of co-options. All Committee members may from time to time be asked to represent SROC at meetings of policy groups, HE stakeholders, HESA and any other groups which request input.

Tenure and Eligibility

The Chair, Secretary and Treasurer will be elected from the Committee membership for a period of 3 years, and should be a suitably experienced member of the Committee. These posts are renewable.

All members of the Committee are entitled to vote. For a vote to be quorate, there must be a minimum of either 50% of members voting including the Chair and Treasurer, or 5 individual members, to include the Chair or the Acting Chair. In the case of a split vote the existing Chair will hold the casting vote for the Secretary and Treasurer roles. The role of the Chair must be elected by the majority of the Committee.

The Deputy Chair (or Treasurer if combined) will act up into the role of Chair if the post remains contested or if it suddenly becomes vacant.

It is normally expected that members holding one of the formal substantive roles (except Local Organisers) will have served on the Committee for at least one year, or the individual should be suitably experienced. Members relinquishing formal substantive roles will give three months’ notice to allow sufficient time for seeking a replacement and handover activities. Members relinquishing a role may remain on the Committee in a supporting capacity.

Other members will remain on the Committee on a voluntary basis as long as they are willing to serve. As members leave, the vacancies will be filled from the volunteers from the pool of SROC delegates in the last 3 years, having regard to maintaining the correct breadth of representation.

Members will be expected to attend meetings of the Committee. Any member who misses more than two meetings in succession without reasonable cause will be assumed to have resigned from the Committee and their membership will cease.

Meetings

The Committee will meet a minimum of four times per year. Meetings will usually take place at a forthcoming conference venue.

All meetings will be fully minuted, and the confirmed minutes circulated and published on the Committee’s shared space.

Roles of the Committee Officers:

Chair

Chairs Committee meetings

Provides leadership and guidance to the Committee

Represents SROC on external committees ARC Executive

Responsible along with the Treasurer and Secretary for the maintenance and appropriate use of SROC funds and accounts

With the Treasurer, Secretary and other Committee members is part of the conference Committee sub-group

Provides guidance and clarification to conference local organisers

Ensures the co-ordination of plenary speakers in conjunction with other Committee members and local organisers

Organises the Committee to undertake specific tasks

Agrees, with the Committee, the location and timing of events

Treasurer

Ensures maintenance and appropriate use of SROC funds and accounts

Responsible for the collection of all fees into the main bank account

Answers payment queries

Places the insurance policies to ensure cover in event of cancellation of ‘enforced numbers reduction’ as required

Prepares accounts for independent verification

Agrees the budget and predicts costs/surplus as accurately as possible

Controls access to the SROC accounts and ensures all security precautions are maintained

Pays bills for the conference as agreed, keeping the local organiser aware of payments made

Pays Committee expense claims and other items of expenditure as they arise

Monitors and pays bursary expense claims

Prepares periodic reports to the Committee

Completes supplier forms

With the Chair, Secretary and other Committee members is part of the conference Committee sub-group

Represents SROC on external committees and deputises along with the Secretary for the Chair where appropriate

Secretary

Responsible for setting up Committee meetings including preparation of agenda, papers and accurate production of minutes

Manages the archiving of all Committee materials

Responsible along with Treasurer and Chair for the maintenance and appropriate use of the SROC funds and accounts.

With the Chair, Treasurer and other Committee members is part of the conference Committee sub-group

Supports Committee business through administration of additional SROC work such as bursaries

Ensures that the constitution is adhered to

Represents SROC on external committees and deputise along with the Treasurer for the Chair where appropriate

Corporate Liaison Officer

Responsible for identifying and agreeing Exhibitors for the conference

Agrees Exhibitor terms with the Committee

In conjunction with the Treasurer, issues invoices to Exhibitors and liaises regarding non-payment

Obtains sponsorship from sponsors and liaises with the local organiser to ensure appropriate logos supplied, etc.

Determines the exhibition layout and agrees this with local organiser

Provides support at conference to exhibitors, working with local organiser/conference office

Provides web information to website organiser in sufficient time for opening of bookings

Manages the Guidebook App

Web Co-ordinator

Runs SROC website

Takes information from local organiser and workshop organiser and publishes on the website

Provides on-line booking service which includes auto confirmation of booking e-mail and invoice production

Liaises with website developers

Supports local organiser and Treasurer with any queries relating to use of the booking system

Maintains website links and content

Organises post-conference delegate survey and provides feedback to Committee members

Local organiser

Works alongside the Committee to deliver the conference, with particular regard to making it fit within the local environment

Takes the lead on delegate accommodation booking and allocation

Allocates delegates to break out sessions

Co-ordinates set up of all local facilities

Arranges all conference meals and events

Organises transport arrangements including parking

Co-ordinates pre-conference delegate information

Provides delegate packs, including SROC mementos

Arranges signage and guides/ambassadors

Works within the budget agreed by the Committee, liaising with the Treasurer to provide regular updates on costs and ensuring agreement on any costs/variations with Treasurer

Provides information to the Web Co-ordinator in sufficient time for the opening of bookings

Answers delegate queries with the support of Chair/Treasurer

Break-out session co-ordinator

Organises with the Committee the break-out sessions for the forthcoming conference

Communicates and liaises with the session presenters

Obtains the session briefs in advance of the conference bookings opening

Provides information to the Web Co-ordinator in sufficient time for the opening of bookings

Obtains copies of the session presentation to provide to website post conference

Social Media Co-ordinator

Manage SROC social media accounts, including Twitter (@sroc_he) and Linked-In

Monitor hashtag activity and respond to queries on social media

Promote SROC activities and events on social media

Promote partner and sponsor activities as required in co-operation with the Corporate Liaison Officer

Ensure SROC’s social media presence remains professional and relevant at all times

Identify new opportunities to promote SROC’s presence online

Boost conference and day session activity during events by promoting the use of relevant hashtags

Manage the SROC Slack space (sroc-ac-uk.slack.com)

Networking Events Co-ordinator

Works with the Committee to deliver ad hoc networking events for SROC delegates

Liaises with networking event venues and suppliers, including speakers/presenters

Arranges all logistics (e.g. catering registration, communications), schedule and, in conjunction with the Treasurer, all payments

Finance

SROC is entirely not-for-profit.

All monies generated by conference fees will be used solely for the purposes of the organisation as defined in this constitution.

Accounts

A current account and an appropriate deposit account will be maintained. Signatories to the account will be

The Chair

The Treasurer

The Secretary

The Treasurer will be responsible to the Committee for

Keeping up to date and accurate accounts of all financial transactions, and making these available to the Committee at their meetings as appropriate.

Preparing an annual final budget statement after the close of each conference.

The accounts should be reviewed by a professional accountant annually in order to ensure that transactions are being properly recorded and maintained and that the balance of monies is accurately represented in the annual budget statement.